News From Wilton First Selectman's Office, May 24, 2024

Press release from the Town of Wilton:

May 24, 2024 - 10:58am

News from the First Selectman's Office, Friday May 24th, 2024

Hello, Wilton! The rain was a steady presence these last few weeks, but the warm weather is here, heralding a fresh season just as the Town turned a page with the passage of our budget for Fiscal Year 2025. I am keenly aware that voting overwhelmingly in favor of the budget was an act of trust on behalf of the people of Wilton. You listened to the detailed explanations behind the numbers, believed in our strenuous effort to pare down costs to only the essentials and, when it was time to decide, put your faith in our vision to carry Wilton forward. Town leaders stand grateful and humbled. We will do everything we can to honor your confidence in us as we jump into the work of revitalizing our town.

To underscore the Town’s positive outlook and sound fiscal health, Moody’s Bond Rating Agency just announced that after a careful, in-depth review of Wilton’s financials and economic prospects, it has decided to once again rate our Town a AAA municipality, the highest bond rating possible. This will save us millions of dollars in interest payments going forward.

State of the Town

But, of course, the conversation continues. You are hereby invited to share your views, concerns and creative solutions to our local economy, building expansion, school curriculum, or any other Wilton related topic, at the inaugural “State of the Town” event being held on Wednesday May 29th, at 5:30pm, at the Wilton Library in the Brubeck Room. Hosted by the Wilton Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Wilton and the Library Association, I and my fellow guest speaker, Schools Superintendent Kevin Smith, will conduct an interactive forum where Wilton residents can address the outcome of the recent vote and discuss how the future might take shape in our corner of the world. Space is limited and registration is required. You may RSVP by contacting the Wilton Chamber of Commerce, info@wiltonchamber.com or by calling 203-762-0567.

How Wilton Works

The Wilton Town Clerk’s Office always sees a lot of foot traffic, but June can be especially busy. Do you need to register your child(ren) for kindergarten? The Town Clerk has your property deed for proof of residency. Would you like to hunt and fish this summer? The Town Clerk can provide you with freshwater and marine licenses that are good throughout the State (N.B. permission for reservoir fishing is on a town by town basis, so please check with local authorities). Would you like to get married in Wilton? The Town Clerk can furnish you with a marriage license that is valid for sixty-five days. Were you born at a local hospital and need a copy of your birth certificate, to apply for a passport, for instance? The Town Clerk may have that on file.

As it is June, dog licenses and Transfer Station Permit Stickers are up for renewal, or must be purchased for the first time, as the new year’s permits go into effect on July 1st. These can be obtained online by clicking here:

Each pup in your family will need to have their own license, and they will need proof from your veterinarian that they are all up to date with their rabies vaccine. For the Transfer Station sticker, you will need your car registration for proof of residency. If you plan to apply for these in person at the Town Clerk’s office (238 Danbury Road), remember to bring these documents with you, along with cash or a check to pay for the fees.As you can see, all of the records pertaining to the practical aspects of life are housed in the Town Clerk’s Office. Besides marriage licenses, birth certificates and deeds of home sales, the Town Clerk also tracks land documents, Release from Mortgage documents when homeowners pay off their home, and Military discharge papers that are helpful to veterans entitled to benefits.

Do you have plans to start a business in Wilton? There are a couple of important steps to take that do not apply to LLCs or corporations. For a home business or single proprietorship, however, you must get approval for your business from the Planning and Zoning commission, so they can determine what impact your business may have on your neighbors and town services. Once you have a business permit from their office, you can then register your Trade Name with the Town Clerk.

One of the most important jobs the Town Clerk oversees, especially in a presidential election year, is registering absentee ballots. According to state law, the following are reasons voters may register to vote absentee:

• My active service in the Armed Forces of the United States

The State of Connecticut online registration portal will open as the election draws closer: Connecticut Online Absentee Ballot Request Portal. If you apply online by midnight, your application will be officially recognized by the close of business the next day. Of course, it is always possible to fill out an application in person at the Town Clerk’s Office, or have one mailed to you that you may drop off or mail back to the Town Clerk. For more information on this, call their office at (203) 563-0106.

The job of a Town Clerk requires a lawyer-like attention to detail, the organizational skills of a librarian, and the patience of a 5-star hotel concierge. Our Town Clerk, Lori Kaback, learned to give such excellent customer service from working in this field for 31 years. She has been a Town Clerk for 18 years, and moved to the Wilton office in 2015, preferring our system where the Town Clerk is an appointed position, as opposed to her previous post, where Town Clerks are elected. When the nature of the work often entails handling sensitive personal records, she is glad to keep the politics out of it. MaryEllen Demers has worked in a Town Clerk’s Office for 15 years, and has been with Wilton since 2020. Sheilah Pastore completes this office’s expertise with 23 years-experience working in Wilton.

And these professionals have been tested, particularly during Covid. It was not possible for this crew to work from home, where it was safe, because paper documents continued to come in the mail and needed to be processed. Absentee ballots had to be registered. Attorneys, searchers and the general public needed access to the town’s vault, where Wilton’s records are kept. The only positive to come out of that harrowing time was the impetus from Wilton to move documents online.

The convenience of this cannot be denied. Now, for instance, couples who need a marriage license can fill one out in their native language. Bills to the Town can be paid online. Absentee ballots, licenses and more can be completed at home. But Lori recommends protecting your identity with the Property Alert function on the Town Clerk page of the Town website: Property Alert System | wiltonct. Some sensational cases from the last few years have exposed the vulnerability that property owners have to fraudulent actors who can claim ownership of their land or set liens against a property that an owner is unaware of until it is time to sell. The Property Alert System is an added eye on transactions affecting your property.

Some policies of the Town Clerk’s Office are determined by State Statutes, like fees and access to records, but efficiency, intimate knowledge of Wilton and its residents, dedication to the job under dangerous circumstances, these things cannot be mandated from on-high. Wilton is extremely lucky to have such steadfast public servants keeping track of the records of our life. Please, everyone in the Town Clerk’s Office, take a bow.

Dana Dam

In the 1940’s, Industrialist Charles Dana created a pond on his property by building a dam in the part of the Norwalk River that ran past his home. Unfortunately, this dam separated two main strands of the Norwalk River, creating untold problems. For one thing, anadromous saltwater fish from the Sound could not access the freshwater they needed to spawn. Sediment could not flow downriver to create micro-habitats and a healthier basin in times of flooding. The property was sold to the Merwin family, until it became Merwin Park, owned and operated by the Town of Wilton. Since the 1990s, a movement has been underway to remove the dam, led by the nonprofits Trout Unlimited and Save the Sound, groups dedicated to improving the ecology of Connecticut and the Long Island Sound. With help from Congressman Jim Himes, who secured nearly $500,000 in federal funding to help pay for the work to demolish the dam and restore the area, the dam was taken down last September. With the dam gone, fish have access to 5 miles of main-stem river habitat, and 5 miles of tributary habitat, and the river’s flow is able to repair and restore what nature intended.

Sergeant Mark Canepari

Earlier this month, the Wilton Police Department held a ceremony to officially promote Mark Canepari to the rank of Sergeant. Friends and family were in attendance and the Sergeant’s wife, Amber, pinned his new badge. Sergeant Canepari is an accomplished member of the force, having won the department’s Medal of Honor, in 2016, for pulling a driver from his car engulfed in flames, and earning 6 Emergency Medical Service Awards for administering lifesaving care to patients in distress. The Norwalk Police Department honored him with a Meritorious Commendation for his assistance in investigating a fatal car crash, and the Mothers Against Drunk Driving awarded him for his commitment to DUI enforcement. His personnel file is stuffed with letters from people in the community and motorists thanking him for his help in their time of need. Sergeant Canepari is a member of the Southwest Regional Emergency Response Team and the Regional Computer Forensic Technical Investigation Unit. Thank you, Sergeant Canepari for your commitment to Wilton’s safety and well-being. We are so lucky to have your courage and talent working on our behalf. And congratulations on this deserved promotion.

Guru Vandana

Wilton teachers, and teachers from around the region, were honored by their Hindu students earlier this month, in a ceremony held at the Comstock Center. Guru, in Sanskrit, means “Teacher, Spiritual Master and Mentor. Vandana means “Salutations to the Teacher.” Guru Vandana is an expression of love, gratitude and reverence for teachers. The festive occasion, hosted by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, featured cultural programs by children, a short presentation of Indian traditions and a ceremony thanking the teachers.

Judy Zucker Plaque

Photo Credit: GOOD Morning Wilton

On June 22,nd a Naming Ceremony honoring longtime resident and civic leader, Judy Zucker, will take place at the Senior Center inside the Comstock Community Center at 10:30 am. Judy’s family and Town leaders will hang a plaque with her name engraved upon it on the wall of the lounge. The lounge will henceforth be known as the Judy Zucker room. As has been shared in previous newsletters, Judy was responsible for so many good works in Wilton, including Chairing the Comstock Renovations Building Committee. At 83 years of age, she saw the $10 million project through to completion on time and under budget. But Judy was a tireless advocate for all things Wilton long before then. Beyond her work ethic, and her endless list of service and accomplishments, Judy was beloved for her kindness, her generosity and her talent for getting things done. As someone who started her law career in her fifties, she was always a woman who surprised and inspired all who knew her throughout her long life. She is sorely missed but her achievements and her soaring example of community service live on.

Phyllis Tousey

This Queen is Phyllis Tousey, a Wilton resident who just turned 100. Plans are underway to place this beautiful photograph of Phyllis in the Tax Collector’s Office where she worked from 1976 until 1992. Phyllis retired at the age of 70, but her records remain in Wilton’s archives. As the Tax Collector, she kept track of everyone’s property by hand, making copies with mimeographed sheets. Her notes and figures are as clear and straightforward as any computer printout. Historians and archivists will be indebted to her in the future, just as we are today. Isn’t it remarkable that an enormous job, like collecting people’s taxes for 16 years, left nary a wrinkle on Phyllis? Her stamina, dedication, calm and good cheer are an inspiration to us all. Happy birthday, Phyllis! And thank you for your years of service.

Merwin Meadows Playground

The new playground at Merwin Meadows is open to the public! We hope you can stop by and enjoy the newest amenity the park has to offer. As of today, a Merwin Meadows park pass is required to access the playground. These may be purchased online. After purchase, they can be picked up at the Parks and Recreation Department at Comstock Community Center, 180 School Road, during business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am‐4:30 pm, or at the Park on the weekends, Fridays from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, or Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm. They may also be purchased in person at Comstock Community Center, or by mail.

Photo Credit: H John Voorhees III/Hearst Connecticut Media

Mental Health Awareness Month

The Wilton Public Library, with the Wilton Youth Council and the Wilton Mental Health Task Force, is raising awareness around the struggles with mental health that strike most of us at some point during our lives. 256 green pinwheels on the front lawn of the library signify the number of Wilton residents who called 211 or 988 in the last year. These are hotline numbers that offer help with addiction or mental health challenges. The 339 white pinwheels represent the 3 out of 5 Wilton residents who wrestle with addiction or mental health but do not seek help. The library has several books on display about mental health and information about resources for all ages is available.

Below is a photo from Mental Health Action Day, where community members and leaders gathered to show their support for those struggling with mental health and addiction. With increased awareness, we can reduce the stigma around this suffering.

Gun Violence Awareness

Gun violence remains a potential threat to any community’s well-being. On June 7th, 8th and 9th, we at Town Hall will be wearing orange in solidarity with all who are fighting this terrible blight in American society.

Kiwanis

Memorial Day is upon us and the Kiwanis Club has stepped forward to present the town with a generous check of $5,500 to buy all of the American Flags that will be displayed on the lampposts throughout downtown during the celebrations. Thank you, Kiwanis! You, and our other generous Wilton organizations, do so much to make Wilton special.

Thoughts on Memorial Day

Below is the Memorial Day wreath hanging on Town Hall’s front door to honor the fallen heroes of our Armed Services.

Memorial Day means a great deal to me, as someone whose family in Italy during World War II was spared certain death by the timely arrival of American GI’s. When I express my gratitude for American Military Personnel who gave up their lives for my family’s freedom, I am being quite literal. And while Memorial Day is a time to honor the valor of men and women in uniform, it is also a time to reflect on their reasons for serving, and the sacrifices they made to preserve our peace. They fought when our country asked them to take up arms; they traveled to deserts, jungles and wooded plains around the globe; they bore unimaginable hardships and persevered, likely praying all the while to return to their friends and family. For those of us left in safety and security we owe it to them to live our lives in a way that honors their sacrifice by making our own sacrifices for the good of others. This Memorial Day, let us ponder how we can give back to our community, and to our country. How can we give of ourselves to make life better for all? To everyone in our military who gave up their life or their health so that we can live freely and securely, I say with profoundest gratitude, thank you.

Memorial Day Events

Join us on Monday, May 27 for Wilton’s Memorial Day Parade that starts with the annual Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast at the Wilton Congregational Church at 8 am. The parade will start at 10 am from 21 River Road, make its way through Wilton Center, and end with a special ceremony at the top of Hillside Cemetery at 165 Ridgefield Road, around 11 am. Hotdogs will be served at Merwin Meadows afterwards. A post parade picnic for veterans, their families and friends will take place at American Legion Post 86.

(Each year, the Memorial Day Committee places flags on over 500 military graves in Wilton. If you would like to donate, checks may be made out to the “Memorial Day Parade Fund” and mailed to Memorial Day 2024 Parade Fund, P.O. Box 75, Wilton CT 06897.)

Hope to see you there!

Toni BoucherFirst Selectman, Town of Wilton

This press release was produced by the Town of Wilton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.